Were It So Easy
by Kiliani
Summary: Alternate end to Halo 3. Both the Chief and Arbiter made it back to Earth, now it's time for some RnR but why is the Arbiter suddenly fidgety around the Chief? Find out here! Female Arbiter!
1. Chapter 1

**Were It So Easy**

**As promised, here is the Halo one-shot. The next chapter of A New Beginning will be out by Friday as well. Nothing to really say except I hope you enjoy it as it is the second time I had to rewrite something on FF so far. Check out WarlordFil's Rules of Engagement for a good Human Male and Female Sangheili story!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343 I guess.**

Only a handful of people were on the hill right now. Lord Hood was there and so were the Marine Honor Guard. Other soldiers who were in the area also attended the small dedication ceremony but there weren't many. Two people did look out of place for such a ceremony but they looked odd for different reasons.

The Master Chief just stood there in his Mjolnir Mark XI armor looking like a green statue while his companion, merely called the Arbiter, stood in a silvery ceremonial armor of the Sangheili. As they both listened to Lord Hood's speech, many thoughts were running through the Arbiter's mind. _'What does this mean for my people? We depended on the Prophets for so much and now…' _She couldn't finish that train of thought. When the war first broke out, many Sangheili scoffed at the females decision to enlist but when they discovered that while the humans used primitive weapons compared to them they fought like rabid animals back into a corner. That "never give up" attitude the humans employed cost them many lives and eventually the males welcomed female Sangheili into their units. She had worked herself to the bone to get her own command, only to have it be taken by the same human she stood with. When she was offered to be the Arbiter she reluctantly accepted and soon found herself back in command with greater authority than she previously had but now it seemed hollow.

The Master Chief was thinking about how much longer he would be of use now that the war was over. "They won't have much need of me anymore." He said to his A.I. companion Cortana. "I'm a soldier and nothing more."

"You'll be fine Chief, the war might be over but I have a feeling we are far from done." Cortana replied smoothly. She was talking about the rebuilding process and the Chief had to agree with her. There was so much to do before humanity could reclaim its previous might and the Chief knew it would take decades before they could be halfway back to before the war. If the Chief lived to even see that part, he would consider it a great feat. The Convenant still remained but it would implode quickly with Truth's death and the Prophets lies being silenced. "We are still alive John and that is what we should be happy about right now." She finished.

The Chief paused when she said that. She only used his name when she was really emotional and this was one of those times. She was right after all, they were alive and the war over but that also meant the Elites were a different story. He looked out of the corner of his eye to the Arbiter and wondered what was bound to happen with the Sangheili race as a whole. Would they wish for peace even after their respective races had killed each other for years or try and take revenge for their fallen.

The Arbiter could feel the Chiefs gaze on her as they continued to watch the ceremony. She knew what he was thinking about and truthfully she was just as concerned as him. The Sangheili weren't known for showing mercy and she didn't doubt that there would be calls to continue a war with humans on Sangheilios within months of their return and if left unchecked it could split and ultimately cripple their race. "We will try our best to avoid another war with your species." She said quietly to the Chief. "I can't speak for the war hawks however."

The Chief inclined his head slightly. "I won't pretend that humans won't do the same. The biggest problem will be quelling anyone trying to start something." He replied just as quietly.

"It's up to the brass Chief. The hawks may cry all they want but ultimately it's the UNSC who decides military decisions." Cortana told him.

"I never thanked you for pulling us out of the aft section of the Dawn." The Chief said. "We would've been stuck in wherever it put us for a long time."

"I simply made a decision that carried great risk. Being the Arbiter means that I would sent on suicide mission after suicide mission in the Covenant's hope that I will die. If I failed to pull you out, then I would live with great shame that I couldn't save humanity's hero or I would be stuck with you in there." She said as Lord Hood droned on. "I wouldn't allow that to live in my conscious when I could've done something to prevent it."

Cortana jumped into the conversation. "The Chief never thanks anyone. I guess you're the exception now." She teased and unknown to them both, the Arbiter turned her head slightly to hide a slight hue appearing on her face.

"I believe I thanked you a few times during the war Cortana." The Chief replied with a small trace of humor. Slowly but surely, Cortana was changing him; he rarely joked or smiled unless it was with his team but after hearing about Onyx he grew cold to the world again. The old Chief who was trained to take victory at any cost was slowly being phased out for a new Chief. It would take more time but that was all they had now.

As Lord Hood finished his speech, the Honor Guard did a Right Face and began the 21-Gun Salute for those lost in the Human-Covenant War. The hill grew quiet and solemn as the final part of the ceremony concluded and many began their trek back to the Pelicans in the distance. Lord Hood took the time to approach the two. "I remember when the war first started. I hated your kind and I can never forgive you for what your race has done to mine, but thank you for bringing him back." He told the Arbiter.

The Arbiter glanced at the Chief before replying. "I don't expect forgiveness but we will do what we can to earn a small amount of it. We were being lead blindly and it cost us all more than anything. Before the war started, we were the ones who began questioning the Prophets on why you all weren't permitted into the Covenant and maybe if we pushed harder this could've all been avoided."

Hood inclined his head as a gesture of respect. He would always hate the Elites but that wouldn't cloud his judgment if they wish to seek peace. Both races needed each other for right now and holding a grudge wouldn't help at all. "Chief I want to speak with you back on the Cairo when you have a chance. You need to be debriefed and tell your side of the events in the final moments in the Ark." He told the Chief."

"I'll be there sir." The Chief said as he saluted Hood as Hood saluted him back. As the Chief watched Lord Hood depart he had a small feeling that Cortana was right. This wasn't the end, not by a long shot.

"The majority of our fleet will return home while a single ship will remain as diplomats for a while." The Arbiter said while shuffling her feet a little. "You wouldn't want to but I hope you will visit it under peaceful terms this time." She finished awkwardly before she too departed to a waiting dropship.

"If I didn't know any better Chief, I would say she was asking you to visit her." Cortana teased him as the Chief just shook his head. "Talk about a big ice breaker, I didn't even know he was a she."

_-Flashback-_

_The Chief had just narrowly avoided being ejected from the Dawn by a Scorpion and crawled his way to back to the terminal as he sat on the other side it he waited for the inevitable. He knew the ship wouldn't last the ride back as he could already hear the metal tearing apart. He glanced back at the doorway that the Scorpion tank covered and wondered how long before the ship split._

"_If we don't make it." Cortana began but the Chief cut her off._

"_We'll make it." He said simply._

"_It's been an honor serving with you Chief." Cortana finished sadly._

_The Chief was exhausted and his eyelids began to droop. Normally his suits adrenaline systems would kick in but the Scorpion had damaged his suit and the system was fried. Just as he was about to collapse he felt himself being pulled and his eyes shot open. The Arbiter was trying to get him up and to the door._

"_Come on, we don't have much time!" The Arbiter shouted as she tried to carry the Chief._

_Despite being exhausted, the Chief couldn't help but silently thank the Arbiter has he tiredly lifted himself from the ground. Before he moved he made sure to grab Cortana from the terminal and moved with the Arbiter to the door. The Scorpion was blocking it but the combined force of both the Arbiter and the Chief ensured that it would move and eventually they pushed it aside. As they hobbled down the passageway they heard metal creaking all around them and soon enough the saw the ship being pulled apart. The Chief lost his footing on an exposed piece of metal and the ship split apart at that moment._

'_I guess this is it.' He thought as he closed his eyes again before he felt himself stop. He opened his eyes to the sight of the Arbiter clinging on to a beam of metal in the ship as the Ark was closing fast all around them._

_The Arbiter didn't know she was doing this much for a human but she wouldn't let him go that easily. She was determined to bring him back when she had failed to bring back Johnson as the Chief called him. She wouldn't allow the last human she knew to perish like this._

"_Don't worry about me!" The Chief yelled but he was treated to a weird expression from the Elite. Her mandibles were split into a weird way that reminded the Chief of a human smile._

"_Is the Arbiter smiling?" Cortana asked in shock._

"_Were it so easy." The arbiter replied as she used all of her strength to pull" himself" and the Chief back into the ship. As they clung to the side of the ship, there was a bright flash of light and they both knew no more._

_The Chief came to a couple hours later. As he slowly picked himself from the floor he looked around to see the Arbiter also waking up. "Did we make it?" He asked Cortana._

"_Scanning. Planet life confirmed Chief, we're back in Voi. We made it back!" Cortana said happily._

"_Any incoming rescue ships?"_

"_A few Chief, but it's going to take some time for them to open the ship. The door is currently underground so they would have to cut a hole into it." She replied calmly._

"_Did we make it?" The Arbiter said reluctantly._

_The Chief inclined his head a short nod as the Arbiter relaxed and gave him the Sangheili version of a smile again. "Thank the gods." The Arbiter replied._

"_It's going to take a while for rescue." Cortana said as the Arbiter did some stretching to loosen up._

"_It is of no matter. The fact that we are safe is more than enough." The Arbiter said as she began to do a series of stretches that no normal Sangheili could do._

_Cortana was getting a little confused. She knew that a normal Sangheili soldier couldn't do half the exercises that the Arbiter was doing and that was what bothered her. One other problem also presented itself at the time; why was the Arbiter shorter than the other Sangheili they encountered? "How are you able to do that? Sangheili shouldn't be able to bend like that." She voiced her thoughts._

_The Arbiter snorted at her statement. "Females are shorter and as a result are more limber than males."_

_Cortana's confusion grew before shock entered her. "You mean that you….."_

"_Are female, yes." The Arbiter cut her off with only a shrug. The Chief merely shrugged his shoulders. Being female didn't mean you couldn't fight, his squad more than proved that._

"_But normal Sangheili society doesn't allow females to serve in the military." Cortana said with her head reeling._

"_If it were the early stages of the war you would be correct. When we discovered that you humans fight like there's no tomorrow we had to change many customs to ensure we had the numbers to sustain combat. Females were accepted into military training quickly after that. I worked myself to the bone to become a Zealot and led my own fleet. Then you both came along and destroyed my career on the ring." She said bitterly. The mark would never disappear but thankfully with the Prophets lies being discovered her mark of shame became the symbol of the Elites. They would wear it forever as a sign that they were fooled and disgraced but lies._

"_If you all weren't trying to destroy everyone in the galaxy then it wouldn't've happened." The Chief said._

"_Lies told by the Prophets. I felt a great deal of satisfaction when I stabbed my sword through his gut." She smirked as she remembered the scene. The sight of the Prophets eyes as his plan failed gave her great pleasure and she felt the approval of her fallen comrades that died for these lies. They were avenged and she helped make it happen._

"_What about the rest of the Covenant?" The Chief asked as the Arbiter gave another snort._

"_An annoyance at best. They will splinter and fight but if they do not lay down their arms then they will meet the same fate." The Arbiter replied._

"_One day we will have to settle this once and for all." The Chief said heavily._

"_And I will welcome that day demon." The Arbiter said without venom for once. She would forward to that day to prove who the best was; her or the demon._

"_If you both are finished planning your honeymoon, we have company outside the ship." Cortana said as she felt numerous Pelicans drop around them. Their rescue was here._

_The Chief merely shook his head at Cortana's antics. He had grown use to her jokes but he did offer a small smile at her attempt to lighten the mood. The Arbiter on the other hand had turned away to hide a growing blush on her face. Female Sangheili only chose those males who had proven themselves in combat and she wouldn't lie by saying the Chief wasn't desirable in that aspect. If his feats ever made it back to Sangheilios then he would never have a moment's rest, despite never seeing his true face. It only added to the mystery of the demon and many females would jump at the chance to solve it. The thought of another female taking him made her mood go sour for some reason._

_-Flashback end-_

The Chief watched her go before walking to the last Pelican in the clearing. He had a debrief to attend and then it was time for some R n R. As he was walking away, Cortana decided to add one last comment. "You know, it wouldn't be a bad idea to visit her Chief. Who knows what we could discover while on board their ship this time."

The Chief only sighed at Cortana's antics. "If there is a diplomat party going there then I will request to be on it but for right now I have a debriefing to go to." Cortana wouldn't give up her stance of going but the Chief had a sneaking suspicion she had an ulterior motive. The question is, what is it?

**And cut! I have decided to make this a multi-chapter short. When I started on it I tried to incorporate everything and it left me with a badly written one-shot and so I decided with the re-write to split it up. This is part one to explain how the Chief made it back and next will start the diplomatic visit to the cruiser and we get to see some Sangheili attempts at courting from everyone's favorite alien! Stay tuned for part two next week and for the next chapter of A New Beginning this Friday!**

**I know we have one confirmed female Sangheili picture but for this story's sake imagine the females as the same as the males except they are shorter than males and are more flexible. I apologize of the Chief seems kinda OOC in this but I am trying to make it seem like Cortana has been able to change some of his personality from emotionless machine to human being. It's a work in progress so don't judge too harshly but constructive criticism is always welcome!**


	2. Chapter 2 I Volunteer

**Ch. 2 I Volunteer**

**Chapter two of Were It So Easy is here for your viewing pleasure! I am glad at the amount of attention it has gotten in a little over a week and I hope you all stay tuned for more on our favorite duo. ^^**

**Unrelated note, A New Beginning is still 6 reviews from completely ending. That's all that is needed for you all to enjoy the good ending to my first story. If everyone who viewed it the day 22 was posted then the goal would've been met in about an hour but sadly it seems you must still wait. Get those reviews in and let's get that story finished this week! ^^**

**Some people have expressed skepticism over the pairing with how the Chief isn't very emotional save for Cortana and the Arbiter was more concerned with duty and still is to an extent. Granted, due to my infancy in Fanfiction I may not be the best person to write this but seeing as how no one else has stepped up to the plate, I figured I would throw it out there and see if people bite.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343.**

"Normal Speech"

'_Thoughts'_

"_Sangheili Language"_

The Chief left the armory completely devoid of his, now damaged again, MJOLNIR Mark VI armor and for the first time felt a little unprotected. Cortana had reintegrated herself into the Cairo station computers and was talking to him through a headset attached to his ear. "How was the debrief?" She asked curiously.

"The same that you could find anywhere else; Lord Hood was worried about the presence of the lone Sangheili carrier but understands the need for diplomacy. As long as it keeps a safe distance from Earth and is under heavy guard then he won't mind." The Chief said. He was worried but his training didn't allow him to show it or let it enter his voice, Cortana might've loosened him up a lot but there was still a ways to go it seemed.

"I understand but I really doubt they will do anything at this point." Cortana replied calmingly as she knew what the Chief was thinking and tried to placate him. It took many ships to bring down one Covenant Cruiser and the Covenant ships always self-destructed when they were in that position. Even under heavy guard, that Sangheili ship could do a very extreme amount of damage before it was brought down.

"It's a necessary precaution Cortana. You know that." The Chief said as he wandered aimlessly around the Cairo. He was supposed to be heading for his assigned barracks for rest but he felt the need to walk. The Cairo was still being repaired from the assault on Earth and it would be at least a year before it was completely restored. The Athens and Malta stations were scheduled to begin rebuilding next year but it would a long while before they could be anything but works in progress.

"I do but do you really think the Arbiter would allow them do anything? She's just as war weary as you are." Cortana said to him. "Besides they are only staying to allow diplomacy to run its course before they return to Sangheilios. I've been hearing some UNSC chatter about establishing an embassy on Sangheilios but that's all it is. Maybe you should ask and see if they need a Spartan?"

The Chief sighed. All of a sudden he wanted to go to sleep, if only to escape Cortana's constant reminder of the Arbiter. "Cortana, there wouldn't be a need for a Spartan. They have the UNSC forces for security." He said before adding. They also have Spartan III's who will start to complain if they don't have something to do."

Cortana caught the dislike in his tone regardless of how hard he tried to conceal it. Dr. Halsey was blacklisted when the Spartan II project ended and she was wanted alive by ONI on charges of unethical experiments but both the Chief and Cortana knew that wasn't the actual reason they were after her. They wanted her for something but got pissed when she refused and put her as a criminal. What ONI didn't know was the fact that the many in the UNSC could care less about her experiments due to the outcome of her experiments helping in turning around the war and ending it; ONI was being given the middle finger and they didn't even know it. "Chief, sooner or later, you will have to work with different Spartan soldiers. At least don't count them out until you have seen them fight."

Chief knew that Cortana was right but he didn't like it. He wanted his squad again but they were still trapped at Onyx and probably dead by now. The newer Spartans weren't as trained as his squad and that could turn out to be bad in the long run. "They just aren't the same as my squad Cortana." He said warily.

"I know but sometimes you have to work with what you got, just like on a battlefield. If you run out of ammo then pick up an enemy weapon and keep shooting." Cortana joked and Chief had a ghost of a smile pass over his face. She was right and the Chief knew it. "Now I believe you were suppose to go to sleep, so get over to your bunk soldier!" She half-joked and half-ordered. The Chief shook his head and made his way back to the barracks; his bunk was calling his name after all.

-Scene Break-

"Anything new on our orders?" The Arbiter asked a communication specialist on the ship.

"Nothing for now; the humans sent over a list of requirements for us to follow but nothing else." The specialist replied without looking up from his work.

The Arbiter sighed tiredly. She wanted sleep but making sure her ship was safe was her priority right now. "What are the requirements we are following?"

The specialist never halted in his typing. "We have to maintain a certain distance from their planet at all times and we are to be under heavy guard at all hours. They will provide us with supplies if they are needed but we aren't to approach the planet unless we are told."

"Damn the Prophets." The Arbiter cursed under her breath. "If we would've kept pushing before this happened then maybe we wouldn't be in this position." She said quietly but the specialist heard her and did halt in his work for once.

"We were poisoned by the Prophets and took their arguments despite our own feelings. They are the ones truly at fault Arbiter. They led us all to defeat but now we have a small chance to reclaim our honor. Do not dwell on the past but look to the future and see the hope we have." The specialist replied evenly. "You look like your about to pass out so go get some rest. The ship will be here when you wake." He said before returning to his work.

The Arbiter went over his words in her head and decided that some sleep might be able to help her headache that was forming. "I will do that, thank you Specialist-"

"Relon 'Kevlan." He replied.

"Specialist Kevlan." She replied with an inclined head before walking away to her quarters. As she walked through the corridors of the _Light of Hope _her mind was back on the Spartan she fought alongside in the final moments of the war. _'What is the Spartan doing right now?' _She wondered.

-Scene Change-

The Chief was roused from his sleep by Cortana around 0500. "What's going on Cortana?" He said sleepily, even Spartan's needed rest after all.

"The Sangheili cruiser decided to open-" She started but was cutoff as the Chief immediately grabbed his weapon and was out the door within a few seconds. "I still have things to teach him it seems." She sighed wearily.

The Chief was sprinting down the halls faster than a cheetah and with only a few minutes had reached the main control room where Lord Hood was talking with a few Elites in blue armor. His first reaction was to bring the Assault Rifle to eye level but Lord Hood noticed him and made a small gesture for him to lower it. "You're early Chief." Hood told the Spartan.

"Sir?" The Chief asked while eyeing the Elites. They were eyeing him back and sizing him up though he could tell that they were confused.

"_The demon is human?"_ One of them whispered in their language.

"_That would explain why they aided the humans in the war." _Another whispered as they looked at him. _"They were humans all along." _

"I told Cortana to wake you up at 0700 Chief not 0500." Hood told the Spartan who blinked before narrowing his eyes.

"Cortana didn't tell me that part sir." The Chief replied as he looked at Cortana's, now visible hologram on a terminal. She had her arms crossed and was looking amused at the Chief.

"You never let me finish Chief. You just ran out the door before I got any farther." Cortana replied with a hint of humor. The few humans in the room started to laugh but the Chief didn't seem to mind.

Lord Hood sighed tiredly. "I wish I had taken retirement years ago." He whispered quietly. "Mendez did a thorough job on training you Spartans." He said as the Chief approached. "We were discussing a possible diplomatic meeting on their cruiser as they aren't allowed any closer to Earth." Hood told the Chief, who immediately glanced at Cortana.

"If you would've let me finish speaking, then I could've told you that and then let you fall back to sleep." She said amused.

"Are you sure it's wise to have humans on their ship sir?" The Chief said as he threw a glare at the Elites who snarled back.

"I know the last time you were on their ship it was a battle Chief but this is different. We can't hold a peace talk here on Earth because of the demands they have to follow and following them to their planet just for a talk would be counter-productive as they also might take it as a sign of aggression, right?" He looked to the Elites at the last part.

"Some would see it that way and with some Sangheili keeps still wanting war for our fallen, it would not be a wise choice. If a formal alliance can be made then it would make the populace believe that we can let bygones be bygones and the few keeps that call for war would be outnumbered and silenced." The lead Elite said confidently.

"That might be true for your race but humans won't ever forget. Our race would be split between anti-war and pro-war and that's before politics enter the ring." Hood said tiredly as he imagined the political shit storm that was about rage over this.

"All the more reason to make this official before it goes up in smoke." The Elite said.

Cortana looked at Lord Hood. "He has a point sir. If the UNSC and the Sangheili declare a ceasefire agreement then it won't matter who complains."

Hood shook his head. "ONI would try and raise hell about this Cortana. Politicians we can deal with but ONI is different and they don't care if they have to turn to illegal activity to get a job done. If they are against this then you can bet they will do whatever they can to make this break down."

"Then let's get a ceasefire agreement reached quickly then sir." Cortana replied with a tone of finality. "The quicker the better and I already have a list of people who would be great at negotiations." She said smugly.

"I'll go myself Cortana, this way I can end my career on a good note." Hood said in a low voice.

The Chief was thinking over this development with a careful mind. This alliance they had was a shaky one at best and was held together only by the mutual hate of the Covenant after the Prophets lies surfaced. Only two outcomes were possible in the Chief's mind; one was the talks breaking down and Lord Hood and his team held captive on the vessel and the other was a small chance of this actually turning out to be successful. Another thought then popped up in the Chief's mind that was completely unrelated to the problem at hand. It was a memory of the hill and the Arbiter's parting words to the Chief.

- Small Flashback -

"_The majority of our fleet will return home while a single ship will remains as diplomats for a while." The Arbiter said while shuffling her feet a little. "You wouldn't want to but I hope you will visit it under peaceful terms this time." She finished awkwardly before she too departed to a waiting dropship._

- Small Flashback over -

'_I guess I do owe her a thank you for pulling me out of the aft section of the Dawn.' _The Chief thought hesitantly. "Sir, permission to speak?"

"Granted Chief." Hood replied as looked at the Spartan.

"If you do organize a party, I volunteer to be security." The Chief said.

Hood looked at the Elites. "Would that be acceptable?"

The Elites spoke in their language for a minute before turning back to Hood. "If the demon agrees to remain as he is currently."

"I don't think we'll have a problem with that." Hood said as he eyed the Chief.

"No sir." The chief said calmly. Internally though he was frowning, he felt uncomfortable without his armor but if he had go with normal Marine armor to ensure Hood's safety then he would do it. It also didn't help that his armor would take about a week to repair for all the damage it received.

"Alright then, tell the Arbiter we will meet later tomorrow at 1200 hours." Hood told the Elites who slapped their fists to the chest in a sign of respect and departed to their drop ship.

"Why do you want to go Chief? A normal Marine escort would've be sufficient." Hood asked the Chief.

"Just wanting to ensure your safety, sir." The Chief replied as he saluted and left the control room for the mess hall.

"Is there something I should know about Cortana?" Hood asked the A.I. who just had a smug look.

"The Arbiter came back for the Chief in the Dawn sir. I told the Chief he should thank him for that and he never did yet and this would be the perfect time to do so." Cortana replied as her hologram faded away.

Lord Hood shook his head and turned back to the console. "Let's just hope this runs smoothly or else we could wind up in a war that was even worse than the previous one."

**And cue the second chapter of Were It So Easy. A diplomatic party was decided and the Chief volunteered to watch Hood's back during it. Yes I am leaving the Chief unarmored for the meeting for the reasons of allowing the Arbiter to see him without the armor. I know we never got a really good description of him save for his eye and hair color but we did some of his face during halo 4 at the end. Also I have read that in Issue 8 of Halo Escalation he did join rejoin his old friends of Kelly, Fed and Linda but for stories sake they are still in Onyx. (Taken from the Halo nation Wiki if you wish to verify it)**

**Either way I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next will be out sometime next week and also for those that have read A New Beginning, please review it so I can finish it. Also read and review this and tell me what you think so far!**

**Till next everybody!**


	3. Chapter 3 A Meeting and A Problem

**Ch. 3 A Meeting and A Problem**

**Chapter 3 time and this story is going strong so far. Thank you all for following it so much and I hope it lives up to your expectations. Chapter 2 of Dovahkiin will be out by next Wednesday and I am hoping to have chapter 4 of Were It So Easy by next weekend's end.**

**Nothing much to say here except enjoy the chapter and vote in the poll on my profile regarding A New Beginning if you have read it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343.**

The diplomacy team was assembled and waiting for their transport to be prepared. Lord Hood was the leader of the small team with Fleet Admiral Harper and Gunnery Sergeant Stacker and Spartan-117 providing backup. It was a small team but it was better than bringing a 10-person party for negotiations; the elites might take it as a sign of strong-arming them and become aggressive.

"Nervous Chief?" Cortana asked through his helmet speaker.

"No, Lord Hood knows what he is doing Cortana." The Chief replied calmly.

"I wasn't asking about Hood, Chief. I was asking about you telling the Arbiter, thank you." Cortana replied with teasingly but the Chief didn't even flinch.

"Cortana, we are going for a diplomatic meeting not an apology session." The Chief replied uncaringly before relenting. "If I get a chance then I will thank her for pulling us out of the aft section of the Dawn."

Cortana sighed in his speaker. "It's the best I can ask for I guess."

"Why are you pushing for me to speak to the Arbiter, Cortana?" The Chief asked suddenly.

Cortana already had numerous statements to present to him for the answer. "She is like you in a way Chief. She was a commander that was stripped of her rank then forced into a suicide role and you have been in near suicidal missions since you were combat ready as a Spartan. She was a cold and ruthless commander who wanted success regardless and so were you before you got put with me." Cortana replied calmly. "Sometimes I wonder who is the machine between us Chief." She finished uncertainly.

The Chief didn't have an answer to her comment nor was she expecting one but it still was a serious statement. The Chief wanted to say that it was her but he couldn't. Ever since he was first put into combat, his actions were more like a machine than anyone else. He always accomplished a mission without regards to anything else just like a machine that was programmed to do its master's bidding. He was told to kill and he killed, without regards to civilian or military casualties as long as his mission was done. The Chief knew he was the machine but his pride would never let him admit it.

-Scene Change-

The Arbiter was currently pacing the length of the docking ramp in the hanger in anticipation of the arrival of the first peaceful talks between Sangheili and Human since the Great Schism happened.

"The humans will arrive in a minute, Arbiter." An Elite in red armor replied as he walked into the dock. She stopped her pacing when he spoke and turned to him.

"Are the suppression teams in place, encase of hostility breaking out?" She asked hesitantly. Having suppression teams made her feel like she was leading her allies into a trap but it was necessary for protection sake.

"They are in place to jump at any moment." He acknowledged. "The demon will be attending will he not?"

The Arbiter nodded and turned her attention to the vast expanse of space out of the shielded bay. "He will be on guard for the slightest hint of trouble so ensure the entire crew is respectful." She ordered as the Elite put his fist to his chest in salute before walking away to carry out her orders. She was left alone on the docking bay again. "God's help us if this goes south." She said as a shield to the hanger was dropped and a human Pelican entered the hanger.

-Scene Change-

The Chief stepped into the dock behind Lord Hood as soon as the Pelican landed in the hanger. It looked the same as the _'Truth and Reconciliation' _hanger he infiltrated when he had to rescue Captain Keyes but it was little bigger and more blue as opposed to a dark purple he was use to seeing in Covenant ships. Engineers and Elites were moving about the hanger performing maintenance and refitting ships but all movement ceased and all eyes turned to the new arrivals when Lord Hood and his team stepped off the Pelican.

"They aren't shooting yet, that's always a good sign." Cortana said in his ear.

"They probably don't know it's me." The Chief replied though some of the Elites were eyeing him as if trying to decide something.

The Arbiter cleared her throat and bumped her fist to her chest in greeting. "Welcome to our ship, commander. It is an honor to welcome you and your guests for such an historic event as this." She spoke in a calm and even tone. Inwardly, she was completely worried of blundering and causing a diplomatic incident that started this meeting badly.

"Lord Hood is fine. I do not believe we can completely form a pact like this, however we will wish to at least have something accomplished between our races that can hopefully lead to a more permanent treaty." Hood said firmly. Hood was completely for brokering an alliance with the Sangheili but with everything that has happened it would take a lot of time and healing before such an act was completed.

The Arbiter nodded briskly. "I completely understand Lord Hood. I, too, know of the futility of brokering a complete alliance but as you said, we are hoping for a temporary fix that could help bring in a new era to both of our races."

"That's what we all hope for." Lord Hood said solemnly.

The Arbiter turned to the rest of Hood's group. "Who are the rest of your team?" She asked as her glanced at them before they stopped on the Chief. She was sure that she had met this human somewhere but she couldn't remember where.

Hood indicated to the man standing to his right. "Fleet Admiral Harper." He then pointed to Stacker. "Gunnery Sergeant Stacker." He said as Stacker gave a stiff nod of his head. Stacker had lost most of his soldiers in the war but he was one of the leading voices to fight alongside the Elites. Hood then pointed to the Chief before smirking. "And this is Sierra-117."

If the Arbiter had a human jaw then it would've been on the ground. Now she knew why he looked a little familiar to her. His stance and movement reminded her of the Spartan but he wasn't wearing the armor so she wrote it off as a coincidence. All around the hanger, voices started whispering. "The demon is human?" seemed to be the prevalent thought.

"I guess they are shocked to see a human underneath the armor, Chief." Cortana said with a snicker. "I guess the Arbiter likes what she sees as well." She finished while laughing. The Chief merely ignored her.

The Arbiter was indeed taking in his features at that moment. Standing 6"10' with short brown hair and blue eyes with a light skin color that looked like it hadn't seen sun in years and the skin around his eyes did have some small wrinkles that were appearing due to age but that only made him seem more warrior-like that he already was. _'The females would definitely pursue him back on Sangheilios regardless of his race if they saw his face in tandem with his feats.' _The Arbiter thought._ 'A warrior that many keep's would gladly offer him anything to have him join their ranks.' _Her thoughts turned darker at the notions. _'They would do well to keep their distance if he visited. If they even come anywhere close to him then my sword will find their gut.' _She thought darkly before shaking her head. _'Now isn't the time for this.' _The answer her mind had wasn't something she wanted to admit to herself. "It is my honor to meet you all in a different setting than in previous encounters. My name is Thela 'Vadam, the Arbiter of the Sangheili." She spoke with confidence as she faced Hood again. "If you would follow me to the meeting room, we can begin."

-Scene Change-

They broke for lunch at 1200 and Hood was about to shove his head through a wall. He knew that this would be difficult but the Elites were determined to try and fight every little thing. From ship limits to planet distances and weapon limits, it was like pulling teeth from a screaming child. "If it was going to be this bad, I would've assigned someone else to do this." Hood sighed weary from the meeting so far.

"With all due respect, sir. I don't think anyone else could've made it through so far without pissing them off." Stacker replied over his rations.

"He has a point Admiral." Harper replied with a small grin.

Hood shook his head and turned to the Chief. "I don't suppose I could talk you into doing this Chief?"

"I'm a soldier sir, not a diplomat." The Chief replied simply.

"Sometimes Chief, that's all that is needed." Hood said as the door to the room opened and the Arbiter walked in.

"Are you ready to resume talks?" She asked hesitantly.

"Can you give us 10 minutes? We just started to eat." Stacker said exasperated.

"Sergeant." Hood said warningly.

"Very well." The Arbiter said before her eyes found the Chief again. "Spartan, would you mind accompanying me?"

The Chief cocked his head. "Why?"

"Go with her Chief." Cortana hissed into his ear. "It'll give you both some time to talk and it might help the negotiations go better."

The Arbiter inclined her head. "Two warriors on equal ground would help in smoothing over negotiations. If you had to gamble, would you gamble on helping these talks go better or sit back and do nothing?"

Hood considered the idea. "The Arbiter has a point Chief. If you could help out by talking things over then you have my permission."

The Chief sighed. "Yes, sir." He followed the Arbiter out of the room and down the hall. "What exactly do you want to talk about." He asked her as they walked.

The Arbiter was trying to keep calm. "I had hoped we could have a friendly spar in the training room. We never settled who is best after all." She said with a small measure of hope in her voice. It was customary for a male to prove himself in combat against others for a normal female but if the female in question was a Keep Guardian or another warrior then the male had to defeat the female in a sparring match to prove his worth. A loss didn't disqualify him but that meant the female had the final say in whether or not he would be a good fit.

The Chief mulled it over. "Any reason for this right now?"

"I figured it would be a good time to let off some steam. We both have grudges against the other race and this would help relieve some of those pent up feelings." She said solemnly. _'It would also help me prove myself to you through combat.' _She thought eagerly. She might be a warrior but she was still female at heart and as custom the potential suitor had to fight her in combat.

The Chief was feeling a little restless the past couple days and a little fighting might help him calm down. "Alright but I'm not responsible for injuries." He said finally.

"Agreed." The Arbiter replied as they came to a stop outside the training room. "This is a friendly spar, not a fight to the death." She finished as the doors opened to permit them.

The room was about the size of a firing range with a physical contact room on one side and a firing range on the other complete with plasma pistols, rifles and a couple of carbines on the walls. Some Elites were testing themselves in mock battles while others were firing at brute targets in the range. Cortana was chuckling as the Elites seem to take great pleasure in aiming for the brutes head and almost went to full blown laughter when she saw that some targets were of the Prophets with numerous holes in them.

The Arbiter took one look at the targets and growled with disdain. "Traitors like that deserve no mercy." She spoke with venom as she led him to a space in the room. "No weapons and no serious injuries. Are you ready?" She said as she stretched.

The Chief merely nodded as he finished his short warm up.

No words were needed as they began to grapple. The room went silent but for the combatants they didn't notice. The Chief went for a right hook only for the Arbiter to twist away and attempt to sweep his legs which he blocked. She followed up with a punch to his gut but had her arm grabbed as he attempted to throw her over his shoulder. Back and forth they moved almost in an intricate dance; the Arbiter had graceful and fluid movements and the Chief had the raw power and skill. Every punch and kick they threw at each other was either dodged or blocked in a way that almost seemed like they were reading each other's minds.

The Chief was actually enjoying himself for once. It made him missed the time he spent sparring with his fellow Spartans. It helped them build camaraderie and allowed them to loosen up before a mission. The Arbiter wasn't a Spartan but she was just as quick and agile as one and that actually made the Chief enjoy this.

The Arbiter was completely entranced in what they were doing. It seemed as though they knew each other so well to the point that they were in sync with each other. She found herself presently enjoying the fight and wished it wouldn't end.

The fight went on for about 20 minutes and yet both combatants showed no signs of stopping but they knew they had to stop sometime. With a final push they both locked hands and attempted to overpower the other through brute force; as their eyes met they gave short nods of approval as they finally disengaged after another few minutes of struggle. The Chief had sweat running down his face and the Arbiter fared no better as she was panting.

"Wow John…just wow." Cortana said in awe. It was like watching a soap opera in a fight. "Did you have fun?"

The Chief sighed and wiped his brow. "It was enjoyable Cortana. I haven't had a fight like that since Blue Team."

The Arbiter wiped the sweat from her face as the Elites around them started to talk about the fight they just saw. "You were a great opponent Spartan. I look forward to more spars in the future." She said with a curt nod of her head.

"As do I Arbiter." The Chief replied in agreement. "It's time for the meeting to resume, I believe."

"You are a killjoy Chief." Cortana said to him. "You were having fun and now you brought work into it."

The Arbiter let out a sigh. She had completely forgotten about the meeting with what they were doing. "You are correct but I did enjoy our spar. Perhaps you could tell me about your training on the way?" She asked curiously. If the humans had that kind of training then she wondered how their own warriors would fair going through that.

"Most of it is classified but I could tell you some." The Chief said at Cortana's urging. The Arbiter nodded as they walked out of the room and back to the meeting room.

The Arbiter was internally smiling the entire time. _'Step one of the courting process….complete.' _

-Scene Change-

The cease-fire agreement was reached after an hour of negotiations and the members of the diplomacy party were on their way back to the Cairo.

"That went….surprisingly well." Hood said hesitantly. "What did you two talk about Chief?"

The Chief shrugged. "We just had a sparring match. The Arbiter wanted to find out who was better but it ended in a draw."

"You both fought to a draw Chief?" Stacker replied with a hint of respect.

The Chief nodded. "They know how to fight in hand-to-hand combat."

Stacker whistled while Hood sighed. "Now I know why they were more agreeable to our terms."

"At least they did sir. Now it's up to the Government when they hear the news." Harper replied reluctantly. "You know how Politics work; they will debate for hours just to hear themselves speak."

Hood nodded tiredly. "The only saving grace is the fact that war is off the table, for now." He said as they all nodded. "Some people will do whatever they can to either destroy the agreement or subvert it."

"Let's hope that never comes Chief." Cortana said to him but he knew that something was going to happen; it always did.

-Scene Change-

Cortana woke the Chief up abruptly. "Chief wake up! You need to get to the bridge!"

The Chief sat up quickly. "What's going on Cortana?"

"No time to explain, grab your gear and get to the bridge." She said as she left the comm. The Chief wasted no time in gathering his armor and weapon before rushing out the door, he didn't get far however.

Two armored figures were at the end of the hallway and judging by their stance, they weren't here for talk. "Hold it Spartan!"

The Chief stopped and looked them over. They looked like Spartans but none that he recognized, not even the Spartan III's.

The lead Spartan identified himself. "Lieutenant Niles and this is Lieutenant Stocker, Spartan IV's. ONI has ordered us to bring you in for questioning."

**And cue the dreaded Cliffhanger! The Arbiter began the courting process, unknown to the Chief, and ONI has sent the new Spartans after the Chief. Things are starting to heat up and the Chief is at the center as usual.**

**I understand that some people might not like how the IV's are already here but that will explained next chapter along with the reason ONI is after the Chief. Also some people might have a problem with the Arbiters name but it was the only thing I could come up with so I just added an "a" to it. Hopefully it isn't too big a problem though.**

**Don't forget the poll if you have read A New Beginning and also be sure to review with your opinions on how this story is going!**

**Till next time my faithful readers!**


	4. Chapter 4 A Planet to Escape to

**A Planet to Escape To**

**Chapter 4 and not much else to say except I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343.**

The Chief just stood in the hallway and weighed his options. Normally his military training would require him to follow orders of his superiors but his own instincts were screaming at him to disobey. "What does ONI want with me?" He asked calmly to by himself some time.

Niles narrowed his eyes behind his visor. "That's classified information Chief. As a soldier, your first reaction should be to follow the orders of your superiors. If you don't come with us then we will drag you with us."

'_They want me to fight.' _The Chief realized as he sized them up. They had full armor on while the Chief was still in Marine fatigues but the Chief was willing to bet they didn't have augments like his. ONI wouldn't use something that dangerous if they wanted their own Spartans. _'They probably better training than a normal Marine but not as much as we had.' _

"Last chance Chief, comply with the order or you will be arrested for disobeying an officer. Either way you are coming with us!" Niles said as he and Stocker assumed a loose stance.

The Chief was about to retort until he noticed a slight outline behind the two Spartans and he couldn't help but smirk. "I don't think I have to worry." He said calmly.

"And why is that?" Stocker asked tensely.

The Chief still smirked. "Because it's now one-on-one."

"What do you-" Stocker was cut off when something grabbed him from behind and threw him into a wall. He was knocked out by an alien hand as soon as he hit the ground.

"What the-" Niles never finished as the Chief appeared in front of him and landed a right hook that turned his head almost 90 degrees. Niles dropped to the ground and didn't move.

"They were Spartans?" The Arbiter said as she decloaked.

"ONI wanted quantity over quality I guess. All the hoopla without the training, they were trying to rely on their ranks instead of their skills." The Chief responded with a quick chuckle.

The Arbiter let a huff of disgust. "They would've fallen like cowards if they were deployed in the war."

"Something tells me that they were about as green as they could be." The Chief said before he turned to her. "Why were you here anyway?"

The Arbiter turned her attention to the Chief. "I was here to update your leader on our status. Now that our objective is done, we were to depart back to Sangheilios to tell the news. When we had a grasp of the situation, we were going to send a message to invite humans for peace talks."

The Chief inclined his head. "I understand." He glanced at the slowly stirring forms of Niles and Stocker before walking to her. "Cortana told me to get to the bridge for something."

The Arbiter nodded and made a motion for him to follow her. "The sooner, the better." She said as she looked back the Spartans. "Why were they after you?"

"ONI wanted to talk to me. It was only a matter of time before they tried something like this." The Chief replied solemnly.

"They won't like this." The Arbiter warned the Chief.

"They don't like anything that doesn't fit in with what they want. They have been slowly changing ever since the war turned around and no one knows what they are doing anymore." The Chief said as they reached the tram line.

"And your government does nothing?" The Arbiter said as the tram moved silently through the station.

"Not even the government knows what they are doing anymore. Every time they ask what is going on, ONI claims it classified and need-to-know basis only. It doesn't help that they are trying to replace UNSC brass with their own candidates." The Chief said as he let out a sigh. "I think they might try and start something but no one knows what it is except them."

The tram stopped outside the bridge and they walked to the doors. "Do you think they will try to incite your race against us?" The Arbiter questioned.

"Let's hope they don't." The Chief said as the bridge doors open and they stepped through them.

Lord Hood was near the front shaking his head as he talked to a couple of people in black clothing. "For the last time, this is still my station and you have no authority here."

"Our authority comes directly from ONI and includes any area we deem necessary to carry out our orders." One of them said.

"This isn't an ONI facility; it is a UNSC Military station. Your request to detain one of my soldiers is denied." Hood said warily.

"You will regret this action. ONI will not allow this obstruction to remain here for long." The lead person shot back.

"Get off my station before I have you escorted off." Hood said warningly. The leader snarled before he and his partner walked away as the Chief and the Arbiter walked up.

"You won't evade us forever Spartan. You and that bitch will be captured eventually." He said before he was punched in the gut by a Marine beside the door and put on the ground. "Unhand me now!"

"Get those two out of my sight and off my station." Hood ordered as the Marines saluted and "escorted" the two men out of the room.

"Sir, reporting as ordered." The Chief saluted.

"I apologize, Chief but we received numerous requests to have any remaining Spartan II's to be detained. As you can tell, those requests have been met with a strong rebuttal." Hood said as the Chief nodded.

"I understand however I was waylaid by new Spartans. Spartan IV's they called themselves." The Chief replied and Hood dropped his head.

"So the rumors were true after all." Hood said quietly.

"Sir?"

"ONI has a new branch of personal, Chief." Cortana replied as she appeared on the terminal. "They are making new Spartans with one exception. The Spartans answer ultimately to ONI and not the UNSC. The UNSC can give them orders but ONI's orders trump the UNSC in their eyes; if the UNSC tells them to protect some civilians and ONI tells them to ignore the civilians and continue to the objective then the Spartans will follow ONI's orders."

"ONI wants a new military arm under their control then." The Chief replied tiredly. "What exactly is going on sir?"

"I don't know Chief but they were right. You can't evade them forever if you stay here." Hood said as he turned to the Arbiter.

"We already have his armor stashed in the dropship and whatever personal effects that were in his barracks are also secured." The Arbiter replied as Hood nodded.

The Chief didn't like where this was going. "Sir?"

"We need to get you away from Earth, Chief and the only place we can send you that is outside of ONI's reach is….well." He points to the Arbiter. "It's only until things die down, Chief."

The Chief looked from Hoods weary expression to Cortana's smirking expression and finally to the Arbiter's mixed look of happy and hesitant. "I don't suppose I have a choice, sir."

"It's only for now, Chief and you will have a small group of Marines going with you. It's mainly for company but also as an advance diplomacy party. They will begin to engage in talks until the diplomatic fleet arrives." Hood said as the Chief sighed.

"Is Cortana coming with us?" The Chief asked as he glanced at her.

"Do you really think you're going anywhere without me?" She asked in mock-hurt. "I'm appalled Chief that you would think that I would abandon you."

The Chief shook his head. "When do we leave sir?"

"We can depart when you're on board, Spartan." The Arbiter said as she looked at Hood. "By your leave shipmaster?"

"Good luck, Chief." Hood said simply as he shook the Chiefs hand.

"Thank you, sir." The Chief replied as he turned to leave before plucking Cortana from the terminal. "At least we can get some quiet before we leave." He said as pocketed the chip.

"This way Spartan, the sooner we leave the better we are." The Arbiter said as she turned and walked out of the room. Unknown to everyone, she had a Sangheili version of a smile on her face. _'Unexpected yet not unwelcome. All that's left is to convince them to stay in the Vadamee keep and then everything will fall into place from there.' _

While the Arbiter was planning, the Chief was following with a frown. _'Something is off with this situation. ONI wants all remaining Spartan II's detained like we are criminals. Something is going on and I don't like it.' _

Little did the Chief know that he would have a new problem to contend with on Sangheilios.

**And I will end it there. It's shorter than the other chapters but I wanted something out as I found out that I wouldn't be around to write this weekend. Same old same though read and review and also on my profile is a picture of what a confirmed Sangheili female looks like. It isn't what the Arbiter looks like however, it is really just so those who don't know can get a look at them.**

**I hope you enjoy it and I will see you all next time my fellow alien lovers! XD**


	5. Chapter 5 Into The Keep

**Ch. 4 Into The Keep**

**Well here is chapter 4 and not much else to say. I hope you all like it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343.**

The Chief wasn't too concerned with the fact that they were on a Sangheili cruiser but the rest of the party were nervous. They ranged from a slight bit of paranoia to full blown reluctance to go anywhere on the ship except for their quarters. They personal that made up their party were Gunnery Sergeant Stacker, Private First Class Chips Dubbo and a new Admiral named Luke Selmon. Apparently Selmon was a newly made Admiral that was recommended for this mission by Harper but the Chief highly doubted that story. Selmon kept throwing the Chief glances every now and then as if he was sizing him up.

Cortana noticed this but left it alone for now. "So Chief, any news on the planet?" She asked teasingly.

The Chief didn't even flinch. "Why would I know anything like that? Isn't that your job?" he asked back with a trace of humor.

Cortana would've smirked if she could. The Chief had just walked into it. "Well you would know more, considering how you spend a lot of time with the Arbiter-" She trailed off as Selmon's head shot up but Stacker and Dubbo merely shook theirs.

The Chief walked into that and he knew it. "Cortana, we usually go through the customs and traditions they have that we need to adhere too. I didn't ask her about the planet itself."

Stacker looked like he was slapped. "Chief, you spend hours talking to her and you never once thought about asking her about the terrain and climate?"

The Chief just shrugged. "It slipped my mind, Sergeant."

Now it was Dubbo's turn to look stunned. "Isn't that a first Sergeant? The Chief forgot something?"

The Chief only shook his head. "We will be told when we arrive so don't get worried."

Selmon narrowed his eyes. "Are you fraternizing with possible enemies Spartan?"

"No, sir. I am learning what to do so we don't offend the Sangheili when we land." The Chief said without hesitation.

Selmon didn't look assured. "Be careful Spartan, one might think you are looking to betray your race." He said as he turned back to what he was doing.

Cortana knew something else was up. "Chief-" She started but he cut in.

"I know Cortana; he's not here on Hood's order. He's here for something else and I have a pretty good idea what it is." The Chief replied with a glance at Stacker, who nodded. Selmon needed to be watched and he was almost certain ONI put him here. ONI knew they couldn't arrest him now but they would watch him and report even the slightest problem if it suit their needs of putting him in a cell.

"Does the Arbiter know?" She asked warily.

"She does know and he gets shadowed everywhere he goes." The Chief replied with a smirk. "He doesn't even piss without someone knowing about it."

Cortana barely contained a laugh. "Payback is sweet but you want to know what would really set him off?"

The Chief cocked an eyebrow as the Arbiter walked in. "And what might that be?"

Cortana broadcasted the conversation to the Arbiter. "If you and the Arbiter hit it off."

The Arbiter almost lost her footing when she heard that but the Chief didn't look amused. "Cortana stop planning for that, it isn't going to happen."

"Not with that attitude Chief. Think positive and the outcome will surprise you." Cortana said as the Arbiter regained her footing and cleared her throat.

"We will be exiting slipspace in a few minutes. I assume you know of our planet?" She asked hesitantly.

Stacker spoke first. "The Chief never asked you so we don't know."

The Arbiter inclined her head. "I see, well let me inform you all about while we have time."

She proceeded to give them a rundown of Sangheilios and the climate. It wasn't a very difficult conversation but the fact that they would be sweating bullets during the day followed by near freezing at night wasn't a favorable condition to them. Much of the planet was forests and hills and few parts were sprawling cities with temples as the main focal point. She also discussed the different Keeps and their status in the political arena, which Selmon found highly interesting as he made a note to find out which ones can be leaned on. During a lull, Dubbo had a question. "Do you belong to a Keep?"

The Arbiter glanced down for a moment. "I did before I was declared a heretic for the first ring."

"Oh…uh…sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." Dubbo said hesitantly.

The Arbiter shook her head. "My former Keep is one of the oldest and most respected. When I was declared a heretic I was cast out of it which made me drop my Keep suffix."

"Suffix?" Stacker asked.

"My full name was Thela 'Vadamee, but when I was cast out it became Thela 'Vadam." She replied solemnly.

"Your parent did nothing?" Dubbo asked.

The Arbiter shook her head again. "My parents were against me enlisting in the Covenant. Most females were told to stay in the Keep until they were of age then the family would find a suitable partner for marriage. The female did have some leeway in who she wants so it wasn't completely forced unless it needed to be. When I was of age I was one of those females that were going to be forced but the Covenant needed troops for the war so I volunteered and my parents were enraged when they heard the news. They never spoke to me after that until I became a Zealot then they were overjoyed at how fast I went through the ranks until it all came crashing down after my failure."

"They exiled you after that?" Cortana asked and the Arbiter nodded.

"They saw my refusal to marry as a blow to their honor but it was my failure that destroyed it. I haven't had contact with them since I became the Arbiter until recently." She replied. "They have offered to reinstatement me due to this but I like my name as it is. I am welcomed back to the Keep and that is where you will be staying during this time."

Selmon spoke up. "You decided to put us somewhere without asking first?"

"Would you rather be in a Keep surrounded by those who would like to slit your throat?" She shot back venomously. It took a lot debating to have them be welcomed into her Keep and she wasn't about to let her own plans go down the tube because of one human.

Selmon back down after that though he wasn't pleased. The Chief was smirking at seeing the Admiral put down but that went away when the Arbiter addressed him. "Spartan, you might want to be careful as your actions have reached home despite our best efforts. Be prepared to be hounded or challenged to fights because of the kills you have."

"There's a reason I hate cameras." The Chief sighed warily.

"Look at it this way, Chief. You might have some adoring fans out there now." Cortana joked and the Arbiter let out a small laugh.

"I would worry about the females more than that." Dubbo joked as well until he saw the Arbiter's face. "Did I say something bad?"

"That is an unfortunate problem that we might not be able to avoid. Some Keeps will do anything to increase their standing and to have a warrior of the Spartans caliber on the planet-" She left the statement hanging but the rest of them could finish it.

"Looks like you need to start hiding Chief." Stacker replied with a straight face.

"I knew this was a bad idea." The Chief replied as a voice over the intercom said that they were exiting slipspace.

"Gather your things, we will be landing soon." The Arbiter said as she walked out.

"I don't envy you Chief. Alien women want you and the men want to kill you." Dubbo replied as he laughed.

The Chief only shook his head. His life just got more complicated and he didn't like it.

-Scene Change-

"Well it looks…..inviting…" Stacker said as they stared at the massive fortress in front of them. It looked like an old earth fortress made of stone but it had plasma weaponry on the walls and Keep guards on patrol on the walls. On the other side of the doors was a big courtyard with what looked like younger Sangheili either sparing or using fake weapons while an instructor mentored them and the other side held various Sangheili in robes selling various wares to the people of the Keep.

"Do you all not have these structures on earth?" The Arbiter asked as they walked through the courtyard. All around them, Sangheili stopped their tasks to look at them and more than one bowed when the Arbiter passed.

"I guess being the Arbiter makes her important here." Cortana said lowly.

"Most likely." The Chief said simply.

"We did back in the Middle Ages but they eventually were phased out when they became too expensive to build and new technology made them obsolete." Dubbo replied in awe.

"I see, well I would love to give you all a tour later but right now we must meet the elders." The Arbiter replied as the main hall doors opened and some older looking Sangheili in grand robes walking toward them. The Arbiter stiffened but didn't make any motion as they walked past and out of the keep.

"Trouble?" The Chief asked as he eyed them.

"Possibly, they are from another Keep but they usually stay to themselves. They were one of the first Keeps to ask for me in marriage but I refused." The Arbiter replied as she gave a huff of disgust. "They thought I would marry simply for wealth or status but I never cared for that. They didn't take the refusal well and it almost led to a Keep war until I joined the Covenant. That they were here isn't a good sign."

The Chief didn't know why, but he didn't like the sound of that. Cortana felt his pace quicken a bit when he heard that and almost laughed. _'The Chief is worried about her and he doesn't even know it. This might be easier than I thought.' _

Selmon looked back at the retreating Sangheili and had a small smirk. _'I think I found some potential allies if I play my cards right. ONI just might be on to something if we can gain a foothold on this planet.' _

**I will end it here for now. We see some filler but we also get inside the Keep and we see potential conflict brewing and the Chief is worried for the Arbiter for once. Some readers don't like slow going romances but they make for awesome stories when done right and so far the overwhelming response has been that this is damn good, so thank you for reading this so far and I hope you stick around for more!**

**Imagine the Keep as an old fortress style wall around a small college campus just made from stone and mortar.**

**Well until next time my fellow readers and Halo lovers!**


	6. AN not hiatus!

**A little bad but a lot of good**

**Yes this is an AN but it is NOT a hiatus notice. This is simply to inform everyone that I finally and thankfully have a job. The bad part is it's an hour and a half away from my house and another hour and a half back so that's three hours travel without rush hour traffic.**

**The good news is that it means I will still write my stories but they will move to alternate one chapter a week. Since Were It So Easy was last to be updated this week will be Dovahkiin due out by Friday as usual and next week will be Were It So Easy. It will help lessen my work load and still keep you all reading. I hope you all understand and continue to support me and my stories and I look forward to releasing Dovahkiin this Friday for you all to enjoy!**

**Until next time my fellow readers! ^^**


	7. Chapter 6 Problems Abound

**Ch. 6 Problems Abound**

**Chapter 6 and not much else to say except thank you for the reviews so far and I still need 3 more names for my Skyrim story. Details regarding the submissions are on the bottom of chapter 5 if you want to take part in it.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of Bungie and 343.**

"What do you mean they want to resubmit their request for me?!" The Arbiter practically yelled at her father.

Her father looked down in sadness. "It would be for the best daughter."

The Arbiter didn't look placated in the slightest. "The best for whom? The Keep disowned me when I lost command and you haven't spoken to me again until a month ago, now all of a sudden you want to decide my future for me again?"

Her father didn't even meet her face again. "You are the Arbiter and you command great respect daughter, but the older Keeps will be hesitant to allow you to remain in your post. That is why we are giving the offer some thought."

The Arbiter narrowed her eyes dangerously. "Behind my back and without my consent, mother would be ashamed with you."

Her father gave a very visible flinch. "She would be more upset that you are not following my wish." He said but it was hollow and with no bite.

"Was it your wish to sell her to another Keep?" The Arbiter challenged and the elders around them stiffened. "You sold her to another Keep after you had me and then we get a report that she had an "accident" upon arriving, you sent her away because she would've stopped you from doing this."

One of the Elders stood. "Watch your tone girl, you were disowned and are only back because of your role."

The Arbiter's response was igniting her Energy Sword and facing the Elder. "Do not tempt me old one."

"Enough." Her father said weakly. "Daughter please, you have yet to see who they are offering this time. Please just consider the male they have asked for you to wed."

The Arbiter snorted and extinguished her sword but kept the handle out. "Some son of an Elder, no doubt."

Her father nodded. "He is a great warrior who has won many battles in the war. His feats aren't close to yours but he is very influential and strong enough to protect you."

The Arbiter's eyes narrowed again. "You mean influential and strong to keep me under his and his Keeps heels. My position would become nothing more than a figurehead to them and you know it."

Her father flinched again. "It would bring us strong children." He said weakly.

"You know the females in that Keep are treated worse than garbage and yet you will still ask me to go there?" She shot back angrily.

"It's an unfortunate yet necessary part of our culture." Her father replied.

The Arbiter switched tactics. "What is his name?" She asked with a sinking feeling in her gut.

Her father only looked up at her for a second before looking down and replying. "Kevam 'Mulamaa"

The Arbiter was silent for a moment before her rage took over and her sword flared again. "That disgrace to our race!? Do you even have a slightest bit of knowledge of what he has done?"

"His record and feats in combat-" Her father began only to be cut off by her.

"Are severely out matched by the number of disciplinary records against him during the war. The only thing that kept him in the Covenant was the fact that his Keep was one of the Covenant's most influential and wealthy backers." The Arbiter shouted.

"Surely you are merely joking." One Elder said but went silent when her glare and sword turned to him.

"He raped prisoners for no reason other than his own amusement, he killed any troops under his command simply for sport, he fought with his superiors at any opportunity, he abandoned his troops when they were losing and he insulted his brothers simply because he didn't get his way." The Arbiter shot back.

"He lost his arm in battle daughter, surely you can take some sympathy for him?" Her father suggested hopefully but was shot down by her next statement.

The Arbiter threw her head back and laughed. "Do you know how the humans knew where he was? It's really quite simple, we gave them his location and offered him as a gift. The fact he escaped is saddening but to know that he lost an arm was more than gratifying for the rest of the Sangheili."

"You sold out one of your own!" One Elder shouted.

"We all did and none of us regret it. He was a disgrace to the Sangheili and it was elating to see what had happened to him and even better was the fact that he was able to not kill any human in that ambush. He merely ran away from them like a coward." The Arbiter replied in a mocking tone.

"Regardless, he will be here tomorrow and as per tradition you will fight him. Should he win then you have no choice but to agree." Her father said.

"He will not win, I can guarantee that." She said as she turned around and walked out of the chamber.

"The nerve of that child." An Elder said but her father shook his head sadly.

"She is correct." Her father replied. "She has been training since day one and her numerous feats and unmatched experience in combat practically guarantees her victory. She has even faced down the Parasite and come away unscathed from battle reports."

"Then why did you agree to this?" One Elder asked him.

"I wanted to see if she was still defiant of me and it seems that she is. She still resents me to this day but she is my daughter and I still love her." Her father said. "Regardless of her thoughts of me and my actions I still love her and her mother would be proud of her after kicking me around the Keep for the things I have done." He finished with a small laugh.

-Scene Change-

The Arbiter stalked the halls in irritation at the latest development. _'How dare they go behind my back and decide my future for me! I will not allow this to stand!'_

"Bad day at the office?" Cortana said in her comm.

The Arbiter snorted. "Worse than bad, they wish for me to marry the biggest disgrace to our race in history and expect me to be overjoyed at it."

Cortana sighed. "No matter where you go, politics are just as bad."

The Arbiter nodded in agreement. "I got a lot of built up frustration now."

Cortana smirked evilly. "Spar with John and show them just who you have an eye on?"

The Arbiter smirked back. "I could do with a good fight. How is it going on your end?"

Cortana sighed. "Unless you come out and say you are courting him, I doubt he will know. He isn't dense but his training is overriding everything else."

The Arbiter huffed in irritation. "If his training wasn't so emotion breaking then he would be mine by now."

"Agreed but for now just keep doing your part and I will handle it on my end. Go ask him for a spar and see how it goes." Cortana said as the Arbiter proceeded to the human quarters.

-Scene Change-

"Another fight?" The Chief asked with a raised eyebrow.

The Arbiter nodded. "We are tied at the moment but our last one was cut short due to time. I am asking for a rematch."

The Chief thought about it for a moment. _'It helps with keeping my skills sharp.' _"Alright, where and when?"

"The courtyard in 10 minutes." She said as she walked away and the Chief swore he saw her walk away with a slight sway in her hips.

"What was that about?" The Chief asked as Dubbo and Stacker smacked their heads and Cortana sighed.

"Just go get ready, Chief." Cortana said as she huffed in irritation. Not for the first time in their partnership was she cursing his training. Necessary for the war but now it was only a hindrance to her goal.

-Scene Change-

The Chief and the Arbiter stood in a sparring ring in the courtyard. Instructors were shuffling younglings into the front for a learning point and servants and scholars were anxious to see how Earth's strongest matched up to their own. Even some of the Elders came to observe the fight and see just how powerful the Spartan was.

The two fighters ignored the crowd around them and assumed a fighting stance. As if on cue they both rushed each other and began their intricate fight turned dance. The Chief wasn't confined by small space this time but he couldn't take advantage due to the Arbiter's natural flexibility and grace in her movements.

An hour into the fight and neither seemed willing to back down despite the sweat that running down their skin. They merely glanced each other before engaging again with the Chief throwing a punch that was blocked before parrying a sweep and turning it into a throw that the Arbiter turned into a roundhouse kick that was aimed at his face.

The Arbiter smirked as her kick connected but was quickly planted into the ground when the Chief grabbed her other foot and threw her to the ground. Before she could react he was on top of her and had a fist coming down on here that she blocked and rolled so she was now over him. "Give up?" She said with a smirk on her face.

"Not quite." The Chief replied before grabbing her arm and taking advantage of her surprise and throwing her off him with a considerable amount of force.

They both stood back up panting and sweaty and yet neither wanted to stop. The Chief was having fun and the Arbiter was letting off some much needed frustration at the day's events and was enjoying the Chief's company.

"One more shot?" The Chief asked her with a grin.

"One more shot." The Arbiter replied.

They began to run at each other and the Arbiter sent an uppercut to his jaw while the Chief sent a haymaker to her cheek and in the span of a few seconds they were both on the ground panting.

"Good…fight?" The Chief asked between breaths.

"A very good fight…" The Arbiter replied with tired sigh.

Servants came around aided them both up and get them medical attention while the rest of the crowd applauded the show they had just witnessed. The Chief had a small smile at the Sangheili instructors asking star struck pupils about the fight and what they could have done differently. It reminded him of how some of his instructors taught by example in his training and always offered advice on how to do better.

The Arbiter felt very tired and yet very happy at how the fight went. She not only got to work out her anger at her father and the Keep Elders but she also got to showcase more of her skill to her would-be suitor. She felt very confident in her ability and after tomorrow's fight she would show the Elders and her father that she would only allow one person to have the honor of her partner.

In the Council Room overlooking the courtyard, the Arbiter's father watched the entire fight. "You are not making things easy my daughter. This won't go unchallenged but I hope you succeed and can eventually forgive an old father's mistakes." He turned his attention to the Chief. "I hope you can protect her from what is about to come."

In another room, Selmon was speaking to his superior. "I think I have found a good backer if we can play our cards right."

"Are you sure of this Admiral." A feminine voice said back from a small monitor.

"100% sure ma'am. All it would take is some underhanded dealing and we can gain a foothold on this planet." Selmon replied in acknowledgement.

"Proceed as you can Admiral but don't forget about the Spartan. Getting him extricated back to Earth is our main priority right now and you can't afford to mess that up." The voice spoke back as the comm was shut off.

"No worries ma'am…..I'm the best at what I do." He said as he walked past two dead guards.

**Phew that was a fun chapter to write. I apologize if the Chief seems a little OOC but I'm trying to change his views slowly but every now and then he will surprise you all.**

**We see the Arbiter put her foot down and we get a couple of problems arising that might end up derailing the Arbiter's plan but remember the saying "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" or in this case a female Sangheili scorned.**

**I did make up the part about the Arbiter's mother to give her some kind of tragic past and a reason to despise her father so my apologies if it offends anyone.**

**Read and review and I will see you all later!**


	8. Chapter 7 Annulment and Comfort

**Ch. 7 An Annulment and Comfort**

**Well here is chapter 7 and the spar between the Arbitress (as some people have taken to calling her) and Kevam. I know what you're thinking…one-armed Sangheili vs the Arbiter is unfair but that's the way things go sadly.**

**My update schedule is one guarantee update and one possible sporadic. This week is Halo and next is Skyrim again encase you all are still confused. The stories will alternate each week and my Destiny story will be during my Halo week and my LoS story will be during my Skyrim story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters copyright of Bungie and 343.**

"I grow tired of waiting father." The Arbiter growled at as she stood in front of the Keep. She had been waiting for a couple hours now and every minute she spent here was another wasted in getting the Spartan's attention. "If he is not here soon then I am declaring this fight a forfeit on his part."

"Please be patient my daughter. I am sure he will be here." Her father said though he was also beginning to lose faith. "He will be here."

As soon as he finished talking, a small band of Sangheili appeared over the ridge and among them was a one-armed Sangheili who looked like he was about vomit in disgust. The sight of him made the Arbiter want to shove her fist down his throat but she had to show restraint or else she risked being disqualified before their fight.

"Welcome brother's…come inside and see our hospitality." Her father said with a sweep of his arm but Kevam only scoffed.

"I have not come here for hospitality, I have come here for my wife." He said as he glared at her and she glared straight back.

"Be careful or you may lose your other arm Kevam. I still hold a high rank over you and the rest of our forces won't hesitate to follow my command." The Arbiter sneered as Kevam growled.

"Not for long you won't." He said under his breath as they were lead into the Keep. He gave a small glance to a hill overlooking the Keep where a sniper was hidden. Unknown to them, the Chief also saw the glance from the balcony overlooking the Keep and knew that something was amiss. "Cortana, I'm going out to check something. I'll let you know what I find." He said as he walked off the balcony.

"Give em hell Chief." She said with a grin. _'Maybe I don't have to do anything at all if he keeps this up. He's worried for her and doesn't even know it.'_

-Scene Change-

"The rules are thus: The first to admit defeat or is knocked out of the ring loses, any cheating will be seen as a disqualification and no unfair tactics may be employed. This is an honorable occasion to determine if Thela 'Vadamee is able to prove her worth of Kevam 'Mulamaa." The referee stated as the two warriors faced each other while The Arbiter threw a glare at the ref.

"I am Thela 'Vadam now as I am not a member of the Keep any longer." She said heatedly as her attention went back to Kevam. "And I'm going to enjoy tearing your other arm from its socket."

Kevam only growled before rushing at her as soon as the ref signaled for the start. The Arbiter effortlessly dodged the punch and only stepped back as he kicked at her and she gave a mocking snort. "Is that the best you got? You were one of the fiercest in the Covenant if memory serves….then again that was against your own soldiers and not the humans." She mocked as his raged boiled over.

"I'll make you regret those words when you are tied to a post in my Keep's courtyard by your neck!" He howled as he charged at her intent on taking her head off but the Arbiter was too agile and she effortlessly avoided each attack and did nothing to counter him.

"The Demon fought better than you; at least he gave me a worthy challenge." She said nonchalantly as Kevam let out a loud roar and waited. "Is that all you had?" The Arbiter said after a few minutes of waiting. "I have better things to do then waste my time fighting you."

Kevam only charged again with more intensity and finally landed a blow on the Arbiter but his small victory was short-lived as the Arbiter swung her foot around and hit him directly on the side of the head and he dropped to the ground. The Arbiter only smirked as he shook his head to clear it and glared at her but his mind was in turmoil. _'She should be wounded by now! Why isn't she on the ground bleeding out?!' _He thought rapidly as he charged at her intent on taking her out.

The Arbiter knew she was getting dangerously close to edge of the ring but she had played Kevam right into her hands as he charged at her one final time and she moved to the right at the last second and Kevam had to stop short of the edge of the ring. He lost his balance when the Arbiter gave him a push with her foot and he fell outside the ring.

"Winner by ring out is Thela 'Vadam." The ref exclaimed as the crowd laughed at Kevam's humiliation. He had lost by being kicked out of the ring and was only able to land a single blow on his opponent, a complete disgrace for one of his stature.

"Looks like my win and as a result…..our engagement is hereby annulled." She said smugly as the Sangheili around her cheered at her well-thought out plan. "You lost the very moment you charged at me like a Brute. You played into my hands every bit of the fight and never even knew it; your little surprise also was taking care of." She said as she pointed to a bounded Sangheili sneering at everyone around him.

Thoroughly humiliated and found out, Kevam took a dagger from his armor and threw it at the Arbiter faster than any of the crowd could react. If he couldn't have his way then he would deny the Sangheili their strongest warrior! It seemed as if everything slowed down as the dagger went for the Arbiter but she never lost her mocking expression as a very quick and very human hand grabbed the blade and held it inches from the Arbiter's face.

The Chief held the dagger in his hand and ignored the blood dropping from it as he handed it to the Arbiter, who took it still with a smug expression. "Even your last ditch effort has failed Kevam….leave the Keep or else you will be attacked." She said as his people helped him to his feet and they walked out angrily but not before spitting at the Keep's walls.

"That was…..interesting." Cortana said before her attention went to the Chief. "So what made you do that Chief?" She asked smugly as the Chief shrugged.

"I don't really know but it seemed like the right thing to do." The Chief said as the Arbiter nodded her head.

"You have good reflexes Spartan." She said as he shrugged again and she did a slight grimace at his rebuttal. _'If I find out who trained him, they will have my foot shoved in their ass!' _

"I am proud of you my daughter." Her father said as she glared at him. "Your engagement is indeed annulled but I do have another announcement."

The Arbiter narrowed her eyes as her fist tightened. "And that is….." She trailed off dangerously as he cleared his throat.

"I have not been a great father to you and I was an even worse mate to your mother. I gave her away for nothing more than a small gain in influence and I pay for that every day I am alive. I can never earn your forgiveness but it is my hope you can give me some measure of peace in my life." He said as he approached her and grasped her fingers. "You may pursue whoever you wish and I will support you all the way, even if they are not of our Keep." He said as he discreetly glanced at the Chief that the Arbiter caught.

"I can't forgive you father, I don't think I ever can." She said as she walked out of the courtyard while her father only put his head down.

"Do what you will." He said before he too departed and the crowd dispersed.

"Seems politics are the same everywhere Sergeant." Dubbo said as he shook his head.

"They are the same anywhere you go Private. One of the reasons most people hate them." Stacker said as he too left with Dubbo behind him.

"Maybe you should go talk to her Chief….I think you're the only one she will say anything nice to." Cortana said without any teasing this time. Her friend needed some comfort and the Chief was the only one she would talk to on a normal level.

"Alright…..but I don't what I will do." He said as he walked out of the courtyard.

-Scene Change-

After getting some directions from a servant the Chief stood outside the door to where the Arbiter slept. He knocked on the door and waited for some kind of sound and a minute later she opened the door with a sigh. "Should've known you would come…please come in." She said as she ushered him inside.

Her room was very bare save for a small bed, a few essentials for cleaning and a small closet that held various robes and clothing for special occasions. The walls were a dull grey but with how the rest of the Keep looked that was pretty standard, the Chief assumed.

"Why did you come here?" The Arbiter said as she sat in a small chair near a window. The Chief actually noticed that she had removed her armor and was only wearing a silver and black robe that looked a little bulky on her but the Chief swore he saw a small protrusion on her chest area. The Sangheili armor did well to hide certain aspects but the robes didn't have the same courtesy it seemed.

"Cortana asked me to check up on you…..see how things were going." The Chief said simply though the Arbiter sighed at his blunt answer.

'_It couldn't have been himself just wanting to be nice could it?' _She thought sadly but perked up a little since he was here after all. "I am just a little…..what's the word you humans use….depressed at my father's actions. He sold my mother because he thought it would help but it did nothing but cost me my mother. I loathe him and yet I can't help but pity him for the frail old fool he has become." She explained as she gazed out the window.

The Chief remained silent as she continued to speak to him. He couldn't understand what she went through as his parents died before he even had a chance to know them but to hear her speak of what she witnessed during her younger years lent credit to the fact that she was like any other child except the fact she was of a different species.

During a pause he had the chance to speak. "I won't say I know how you feel because I don't and I am not the right person to ask for advice about this. I have been blindly following my orders since I was first brought into the war and I was trained to be the best and I was…until Cortana picked me as her Spartan. I thought I knew how to get the job done but eventually Cortana got me to stop being so cold and open up. It wasn't easy and it still isn't…but she asked me something a while ago." He said as he looked as his hand.

"What did she ask you Spartan?" The Arbiter said in a low voice.

"She said that she wonders who the machine between me and her is. My first response was going to be her but I stopped myself before I said anything. She might be an A.I. but I was the one who was just focused on mission completion over anything else. A machine would send its people to do something regardless of how many went down and I did the same thing. I ordered Marines to charge and charge they did and I watched them all get cut down without a trace of emotion on my face." The Chief explained to her as he looked out the window at the expanse of mountains and trees. He continued his speech while she listened to every word.

"It sounds like you already have your answer Spartan." She said after he finished. "Your own training won't let you admit it but you already know. I was the same way as a Zealot, I craved the glory and the power and I used my soldiers without a second thought and I lead by fear and not respect. We are alike in many ways Spartan and that is why we worked well together during the Battle of the Ark." She said as she too gazed out the window. "If push came to shove, I will always be guarding your back if you need it."

The Chief nodded at that. "Likewise, Arbiter." The Chief said using her title. She only did a slight twitch as she had hoped he would say her name but for right now it was a good start. He was warming up to her and that was what she wanted. She reached out her hand and gave his a slight squeeze of compassion before pulling it away and she had to turn away to hide a blush. _'Cortana said a little compassion goes a long way and it seems she is correct. It won't be long before I announce my intent to my father.' _

**I will end it right here and not much to say except we saw a humiliation and the Chief protect the Arbiter even if he didn't know why he did it. Slowly but surely we are getting to romance and I really wanted to inject some fluff into the story so I made up the whole bedroom scene in my head for the last couple days and this is what I got. Not a true fluff as it mainly just them talking about the past and the war but I did give you all some fluff. Also, for those that will be skeptical about the fight the Arbiter would've won even if I wrote that Kevam beat her simple because of the sniper he had stationed in the hills that the Chief caught. The rules were no cheating and he did so he would've lost either way lol.**

**Read and review if you would be so kind and this story is only a few hundred views from breaking 10k and that is a hell of a lot but A New Beginning has 21k and still climbing high every day so it will take a while to reach that. I will think about updating A New Destiny this week as well but we'll see how the week goes.**

**Till next time my fellow alien/human pairing lovers! ^^**


	9. Chapter 8 Shock and Awe

**Ch. 8 Shock and Awe**

**Well I won't lie to you all; this story is actually coming to a close pretty quickly. I only had it pegged as a one-shot before maybe a five chapter and now well it's turned into a short story but it is worth every view it has so far. Don't worry, we still have a little ways to go though and for those who are asking; the Arbiter will be announcing her intent to the Chief sometime soon.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of Bungie and 343.**

"For attempting to kill our most honored warrior and trying to disrupt an honored duel, your punishment is death." An Elder said as the bound Sangheili only let out an angry growl before he was forced out of the room.

"This information is most disturbing." One said worriedly as the others nodded.

"They would not only cheat in a duel but to use many underhanded tactics just to put our own warrior out of commission is even worse." Another stated as they had learned that the bullet and knife were coated in poison. "The Spartan was lucky he had an AI that forced him to seek treatment after he talked with the Arbiter or else he would've had to lose his hand."

"Speaking of which, it seems that against our efforts the word that we have the Demon within our Keep has spread. We have received a few duel requests from interested parties." A third Elder said but the Arbiter's father only shook his head.

"He isn't our warrior so it isn't our duty to decide to accept or deny them." He said as he remembered his daughter's words to him.

_-Flashback-_

"_You have made your choice then." Her father said as he let out a sigh. "Why must you make everything so difficult daughter?"_

"_Because it is my choice to make and as a result of the duel I reserve the right to choose my betrothed." The Arbiter said as she glared at him. "I will be pursuing this regardless of what you say."_

"_The other Keeps know about the Spartan being here, they will be sending their own fighters to face him and you know that quite a few of those will be female." He warned her but she only snarled._

"_They may come but they will fall, I will make sure of it." The Arbiter said as she walked away without another word._

_-Flashback end-_

"We will offer the Demon the chance to face them and see how well each Keep fares against the human's best fighter." The first Elder said as they adjourned the meeting.

-Scene Change-

"How is the hand Spartan?" The Arbiter asked as she glanced at his now bandaged hand.

"It stings a little bit but the medics say that it will be fine in a day." The Chief replied as they walked along a hall. They had no real destination as they were just wondering around while talking about the past and the war. The Arbiter never tried to hide the number of Humans she had killed and the Chief did the same for the number of Sangheili he had left on the ground and lifeless. It was part of the process to get over that kind of stuff but it held a deeper meaning for the Arbiter; she wanted to earn his trust and there was no better way than to lay out everything about her with no secrets.

"I hear that you have accepted an offer to fight one of the warriors challenging you." The Arbiter said as she watched him closely.

"It's considered an insult not to, right?" The Chief asked as the Arbiter nodded.

"Normally yes but remember that you aren't a Sangheili so the normal rules don't apply to you and you are not a member of the Keep either." She said as they both turned a corner into another hallway. "You can't be forced into doing anything here."

"It helps by knowing who would support peace talks and if it fighting them helps then I'll do it." The Chief said with an even tone.

"We have many allies but it's our enemies that we must watch for. They are hidden right now but I think that they will show themselves soon." The Arbiter warned him.

"Nothing can be done until they do." The Chief replied, waving off her concern. "The peace delegation will be arriving in a month."

"I have heard but do you think it's too soon? The war is over but hostilities still remain and it might cause more harm than good." She said with a hint of worry but it wasn't for the approaching political storm. The Spartan was here until the peace talks concluded and then he would leave for Earth and she would be left behind.

"The sooner it's done, the less time any dissention can happen." The Chief replied while missing the Arbiter's wince.

'_He doesn't care that our time is growing short.' _She thought sadly until she mentally kicked herself. _'You're the Arbiter for crying out loud, you stared down the Parasite and stood against an entire army of Flood, you can tell one male that you are interested!' _

"Are there any keeps in particular besides the one you fought that we need to be wary over?" The Chief asked her and she shrugged.

"That one was the worst but there are a few that we need to watch. The Relakaa Keep were very outspoken against Humanity but that was all they had, the Valamuu were on the fence but they do hold grudges and the Humans did kill a few of their numbers, we might be ok with the Telemee Keep but they do have some backbone when threatened but that's it. The Vadumee has been a steadfast ally despite mine and Rtas's rocky past."

"The Shipmaster?" The Chief asked as she nodded.

"He is tough but he looks after his soldiers' wellbeing; it was one of the reasons we didn't get along at first. As a Zealot I didn't have many options other than mission completion and he always made sure his Ops troops came back alive while I was an "at any cost" commander." She explained solemnly. "As I said, it is different but we respect each other and that was one of the reasons why he listens to me."

"He was on the list of challengers." The Chief said as the Arbiter huffed in humor.

"I wouldn't have doubted it; he has wanted to have a go at you ever since you decimated his Spec Ops unit on the _Truth and Reconciliation." _She said as the Chief shook his head. "Anyone else of note?"

"One Sangheili was strongly presented; do you know a Kela 'Mesumaa?" The Chief asked and the Arbiter stopped walking and tilted her head. "Is everything ok?" He asked as he turned around.

"She was one of my closest friends when we were young. I went to War College while she was privately trained and became Captain of her Keep's guard." The Arbiter said in confusion. "Did they say why she was that willing to face you?"

"It was explained to me that they wanted a "potential joining" match. Any idea what that is?" The Chief asked and the Arbiter went from confused to shocked and then fearful.

'_No….anything but that!' _She thought frantically. _'Gods help me by making it anything else except that!' _

-With Cortana-

"Uh-oh…this is not good anymore." Cortana said as she had been eavesdropping the whole time before she heard what the Chief said. "Come on girl…you have to tell him soon!"

-Back with the Chief and the Arbiter-

"Are you sure you're ok?" The Chief asked as the Arbiter's brain tried to kick start.

"I'm fine." She said rather quickly. "I need to go…..I have to inspect my armor." She turned around and walked away rather quickly as the Chief only looked at her leave in confusion.

"Is that normal for Sangheili females?" The Chief asked a passing servant and pointed towards the retreating Arbiter.

"For a normal female, no but for her, yes. She has never been a normal Sangheili female and this sort of behavior isn't new to the Keep. She can be calm and collected one moment and the next she could ripping arms off in a sparring match." The servant explained. "She has always had some kind of emotional instability but considering her childhood, it was to be expected."

"She wasn't disqualified from entering the Covenant?" The Chief asked in confusion. Even the UNSC with its extremely loose recruitment policies had turned away personnel who had a hard time keeping their emotions in check in some situations.

The servant shook his head. "The Prophets requested any Sangheili capable of fighting regardless of their limitations or problems at the time. The only exception was young ones but they were being trained at the time anyway so it was expected of them to enter the service."

"I see…..thank you for your time." The Chief said as the servant bowed before he walked away. "I guess Cortana would have a better explanation then." With that, the Chief walked back to his appointed room deep in thought the entire time.

-With the Arbiter-

'_Why did they put that match forward and why did she accept?! Why did he accept it without speaking to me about the outcome of the match?!' _The Arbiter's mind was going a hundred miles a minute as she walked quickly to the council hall and threw the door open.

"What have you all done?!" She practically yelled and startled the Elders having their usual afternoon meeting.

"Daughter?" Her father asked as he saw her eyes flashing dangerously and her hands were twitching as she resisted her instinct to grab her sword and ignite it.

"You offered the Spartan a chance to fight another warrior from another Keep and a female warrior at that! Do you have any idea what the implications mean if the human wins?!" She shouted as they all nodded their heads.

"We need the humans as allies if we are to rebuild our war-torn fleets and when we pitched the idea of gaining allies through combat, the Spartan accepted without a second thought. If that means that he needs to use secondary means as well then we know for a fact that he would do it if it meant humanity was safe." Her father said sadly.

"Out of all the warriors you could offer him to fight…why her?" The Arbiter spoke in a dangerously low voice.

"She had volunteered for it and the 'Mesumaa Keep has been growing in power in recent years. She is also at the marrying age and is an extremely capable warrior, as you yourself can attest to." An Elder said as the Arbiter growled. Her friend had joined the Covenant only for a brief time before she was relieved due to disagreements with her superiors but during that brief time, she had fought her friend in a spar and had been backed into many corners during the fight and as a Zealot being taken to that extreme in a fight with a Minor was disturbing.

"When will they arrive?" The Arbiter asked with a snarl.

"In one week for a greeting ceremony with the fight taking place the next day." Her father said with calm in his tone. "Please stay calm daughter, these things are unpredictable."

'_Unpredictable but easy to beat if you know the rules.' _She thought before she suddenly smirked. _'All it takes is for someone to either overrule the challenge or if another steps up at the same time and declares their interest.' _"If you wish to force my hand then I will gladly show it." She said as confused expressions appeared on their faces.

"What do you mean daughter?" Her father asked as he was completely and utterly confused on his daughter's statement and his council was in a similar state. In the years to come he would always look back on this moment as a proud father when his daughter finally got the one thing she wanted since the war's conclusion but for right now, her next statement dropped the entire room into dead silence.

"I am declaring my interest in the Spartan and will duel Kela 'Mesumaa for the right to be his life partner!" She stated and the room went cold as ice.

**And the challenge has been thrown! How will the Chief react to the news and will this turn out good? Find out next time on Were It So Easy!**

**A New Destiny will probably not be updated this week but don't count that out as inspiration strikes me at the weirdest of times. My Chrysalis backstory is being written and should be out in the next week or so and maybe the next chapter of Love of Dragonesses too. Dovahkiin will be out by next Friday as usual.**

**Until next time fellow readers!**


	10. Chapter 9 Surprise Surprise

**Ch. 9 Surprise Surprise**

**Merry Christmas to all and I hope you enjoy my Christmas double header! I have updated both Love of Dragonesses and Were It So Easy for your viewing pleasures as a Holiday gift to all my readers. I hope this makes all of your holidays extra enjoyable**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, all characters are copyright of Bungie and 343. **

"Not really the way I would've handled that but you got the job done at least." Cortana said as the Arbiter sat in her room.

"I had no choice in the matter. If the Spartan lost then you know the consequences and that was a risk I wasn't willing to take." The Arbiter replied as she cleaned her armor.

"How do you think the Chief will take it?" Cortana asked curiously.

"You haven't told him?" The Arbiter asked in shock.

"That would be your job isn't it? My part in this was done by getting out rumors that the Demon was on your planet and in your Keep. Your job was to court him." Cortana said smugly.

"And I have been." The Arbiter replied sternly but Cortana only sighed.

"You never told him about that custom nor have you even hinted the fact that you were. Face it; the most revered warrior in the Sangheili culture is scared." Cortana said as the Arbiter flared up.

"I am not scared!" The Arbiter replied hotly. "I jumped straight into the Flood infested High Charity to drag you and the Spartan out!"

"And yet you can't tell one person you want to be with them. The mighty Arbiter is acting like a shy schoolgirl." Cortana said as she continued to press the Arbiter's buttons.

"I am not shy nor am I a coward!" The Arbiter said as she leapt to her feet.

"Then you will tell the Chief by the end of the day." Cortana said as the Arbiter paled.

'_She tricked me!' _The Arbiter thought wildly. _'The damn AI tricked me!' _

"Have fun telling him!" Cortana said cheekily as she switched off the comm after hearing the Arbiter scream in anger. "I love messing with people." She said to herself as she saved the memory of the Arbiter's stunned face.

-Scene Change-

"Any idea where the Admiral went?" Stacker asked the Chief who shook his head.

"No and that is what is beginning to worry me." The Chief replied.

"I knew there was something wrong with him. Gut instincts have never been wrong before and they started going off as soon as he stepped on the cruiser." Dubbo replied as he scarfed down a field ration kit.

"What exactly is he trying to accomplish?" Stacker asked as the Chief shrugged.

"I don't know but Cortana said that she noticed him speaking a lot to those Sangheili from the Mulamaa Keep. Whatever it was, it was good enough for them to actually consider as they left with considerably less angry faces." Dubbo replied as he finished his rations. "Still, he's walking on a very thin line."

"I seriously doubt he cares if he's on a thin line Private." Stacker responded with a small sigh. "Ten-to-one says he tries to interrupt the peace talks."

The Chief gave a rare smile. "And we would have to be idiots to accept that bet."

Stacker cursed under his breath. "Damn, I thought I made an easy hundred bucks."

The Chief shook his head as his ears picked up what Stacker said. "I hear that you know." Stacker only shrugged in response.

-Scene Change-

The Arbiter paced her room like an animal as she contemplated her next move. "Come on you can think of something!" She said to herself. "All it takes is for you to go to him and tell him." She snorted. "Easier said than done."

"Then just tell him my daughter." Her father said from the door and she was startled out of her routine.

"It's not that simple father; he's not even part of our species." The Arbiter replied as her father sat on her bed.

"When has anything ever stopped you from doing what you want?" Her father asked curiously.

"Apparently now something does and it's a big one." She said warily. "He would never accept this."

"Daughter, I have spent many long years in the political ring and there is always a way to make people accept what you want them to." he said as he rubbed his mandibles.

"Politics won't help me here." she huffed angrily. "I'm a warrior not a politician."

Her father shook his head. "I am not talking about politics but that is one path you could go. What I am saying is that you can use words to give someone an impression of a path you want them to take."

The Arbiter gave her father her attention. "And how am I suppose to do that? According to his AI, the only thing he knows is protecting humanity at any cost."

Her father gave a knowing smile. "And that is where you can give him an impression of where their best interests lie."

The Arbiter's face scrunched up. _'He protects humanity and hasn't been afraid to take a plasma round for them. His mission was…..is to defend humanity at any cost, even if it means his own thoughts.' _she thought intensely. _'He protects humanity and will give up his…..own…..' _she stopped as realization dawned on her. _'Make it seem like this would be in the best interest of humanity for him to accept! He gets cornered and his own training would make enforce the opinion.'_

"I see you understand now." her father said as she nodded.

"It's a low and underhanded move though, I am not sure my pride could handle that." she said quietly as her father put an arm around her.

"Sometimes the best way isn't the easiest or the right way but sometimes there isn't another way." he replied sadly.

"I understand….." she replied uncertainly.

"That's my girl…..your mother would be proud of you." he replied as he got up and walked to the door.

"Tell me one thing." She said quietly and he stopped. "Why did you do it?"

Her father looked down and let some tears fall. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Was all he said before he walked out.

The Arbiter watched him go and couldn't find a retort. She narrowed her eyes at her now empty doorway. _'Something is wrong with this. What happened while I was away at training?' _

-Scene Change-

It was late in the day and the Chief was returning to his room when he found the Arbiter leaning against the wall in front of the door. "I was wondering when you would show up Spartan."

"You were waiting for me?" he asked as she nodded.

"I was wondering if you wished to walk with me?" she asked hesitantly.

The Chief regarded her for a minute, as if he was deciding if she was joking or not. "Alright, I don't see why not."

The Arbiter nodded and began to walk away and the Chief followed. The walked for a while in silence, the only sound came from the sounds of their footsteps through the hall.

"You want something don't you?" The Chief asked suddenly as they stopped in front of a window.

The Arbiter flinched but she held out. "I do but going about it isn't easy."

"What is it?" The Chief asked bluntly.

The Arbiter gulped. "If you had to engage in certain activities to secure humanity's future…..would you accept it knowing that you would be required to give up your own feelings?"

The Chief nodded without hesitation. "My mission has always been humanity's survival at any cost."

"So then if you had to accept a life partner, you would do it?" she asked as she tensed up.

"A life partner?" The Chief asked questioningly

"A mate…..or a wife as you humans call it." The Arbiter responded.

The Chief narrowed his eyes. "My duty comes before anything."

It was now or never. "I have challenged your opponent to a duel."

"And?" The Chief asked.

The Arbiter sighed. "If I win then I will have earned the right to be your life partner. In order to help bring our alliance together, I am challenging you for the right to be your mate."

The Chief prided himself on never being able to be shocked or stunned and he lived by that. He didn't even flinch when it came to the flood or when he faced a brute in hand-to-hand combat. For some reason, that one statement made his eyes go wide and his brain to stop.

**And cut! Well that was a hoot; the Arbitress had finally revealed it and the Chief is stunned speechless. What did he just step into now? Find out next time.**

**I hope you all like the chapter and like I said, I am trying not to make them too OOC but things have to give and the Chief is learning to open himself up and it had shown throughout the story so far. Next chapter we get to the meet and greet and the Arbiter faces down her friend once more.**

**Stay tuned and I hope you all enjoy the double header! Happy Holidays and see you all in 2015!**


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